How to Make Your Shipping Crate When Transporting a Motorcycle?

You just bought or sold a motorcycle, and now you have to load it on a truck, ship it over the mountains or across the sea, unload it at the other end, then repeat the process. The whole shipping process includes a HUGE risk of getting your bike damaged while it's on the way to its next destination.

In this situation, shipping crates can be savvy. They keep your bike safe during the bumpy journey.

When you want to ship your motorcycle, the possible situations are you either want to ship your bike out of state or want to ship internationally. Right?

But, to keep your bike secure during transit, you'll need the crate to secure it properly. You might spend huge bucks on renting a container or buying one for that purpose. If you buy a container, it could be costly depending on its size and the material of its composition. Not everyone wants to shell their $$$ on such things, though. So, when you need to ship your motorcycle, you will either have to buy a crate or rent one.

If you are always on the go and often spend a lot of money renting out a cart for moving your motorcycle, making a shipping crate yourself would be a cost-effective option. Better yet? You'll also be able to reuse your shipping crate.

So, in this blog post, we'll guide you on how you can DIY your shipping crate step by step. In the meantime, let us take you in a bit of background and learn "what is crating?"

Let's get straight into it.

What is Crating?

As the name refers, crating is the act of securing your bike in a crate. Now, if you are a first-timer, you might wonder what the box in the first place is.

Shipping crates are large containers made of aluminium or iron. They are used to transport or ship oversized items. Crates that are specifically made to transport bikes are made of wood often.

They are the best protective manner to ship your expensive items. They protect your items from any damage and safely transport the items. The crate's specifications depending on where they will take your transit or motorcycle.

Like, say, the crate requires a specific set of features while transporting within the country and another particular set of specifications for international shipping.

Benefits of Using A Crate While Shipping Your Motorcycle

Crating has dozens of benefits when it comes to shipping your motorcycle. If you're worried about your bike's safe journey, this might be your best bet. Let's list some of the advantages of making your motorcycle transport crate.

A motorcycle crate:

• Secures your bike in a place so that it doesn't keep budging while on the move.
• Makes transportation a breeze.
• Protects your bike from the bumps on the road and safeguards it against harsh weather conditions.

And a lot more!

Professional services may charge you high costs for providing crates with the appropriate specifications.

Wondering, "Is DIY the way to go?" It boils down to how much time you want to spend, how much money you want to save, and whether your end goal fit's within the parameters of your DIY design. If you want a fast, affordable shipping option that wouldn't leave your bike unprotected. Commercial shipping is too pricey, and the DIY crate can turn out great.

When we talk about DIY-ing the shipping crate, you might think it would be hard to crack.

Well, that's not true. You can build your crate in a day or half-day if you want to do it yourself. It is not difficult. If you have a basic knowledge of nails, screws, and drills, you can build your crate.

With that said, let's start with the process.

Things You'll Need to Make Your Shipping Crate:

The material you need to build your crate is quite primary. Such as:

• 6 large pieces of plywood
• Oversized pallet
• Carriage bolts (Bolts with rounded heads used to hold metal to wood.)
• 2x4 lumber
• Wingnuts (It has "metal wings" on both sides, so this nut can be fastened and loosened without using tools).
• Screws
• Hammer
• Drills
• Nails
• Table saw
• Safety Goggles
• Fastening belts

Be sure to gather all these items before strategizing how to make a crate.

Pro tip: Before you finally gather all the supplies make sure to take measurements of your bike. And keep them handy. This will help you decide on the sizes of the required supplies.

Step-By-Step Instructions to Assemble All the Supplies into a Well-Made Motorcycle Crate

So by far, you have arranged all the required stuff. Good job!

Here comes the real deal. First, of course, you must read the directions carefully before constructing a crate. But, as long as you follow these simple guidelines when making your crate, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that attention to detail and hard work went into creating your masterpiece.

The Golden Rule to Follow is…

"Double-check your measurements before cutting."

Before starting the building process of your crate, you need to make sure to take the proper dimensions of the wood according to your motorcycle's weight. You must keep a measurement note with you throughout the process of building your wooden shipping crate.

The other thing that keeps you productive while working is choosing the best working place that is well ventilated. Make sure to wear safety goggles while cutting wood or constructing a crate to protect your eyes from flying debris and chemicals.

An Important Thing to Take Note of! While opting for a palette size and quality, make sure to have one according to the dimensions of your bike. In addition, you must have high-quality wood that can bear the weight of a motorcycle and can sustain accidents. Mostly, the best pallets are made of high-quality timber.

Step 1:

After selecting the appropriate palette, the next move is to place the piece of plywood flat over the palette.

Step 2:

You will need to make four holes using a drill on the palette and fasten them with screws.

Step 3:

Further action is to move the motorcycle on the top of the plywood after you've anchored it.

Step 4:

The next step is making the frame for your shipping crate. We have already listed the 2x4 lumber. Slice the lumber into eight short pieces and four long pieces (perpendicular to the edges of the plywood sheets).

Step 5:

Assemble a frame by standing a piece of 2x4 lumber upright at each corner of the frame. Lining the container's base with lumber is also necessary. Next, attach each corner with screws and drill holes.

Step 6:

Assemble the walls of a shipping crate by using plywood sheets and attaching them to the frame: drill and screw holes approximately every three feet in plywood. Secure the vertical pegs with carriage bolts and wingnuts, and the wingnuts should always be on the inside.

Step 7:

Secure motorcycle inside shipping crate using fastening belts. Attach the straps to each of the four inner walls. Then, line the top of each division with creating a frame and attach using a hammer and nails. The last piece of plywood should be slid over the top of the container to complete the shipping crate.

Step 8:

The next step is to drill holes and attach the cover with screws. Finally, use a hammer and nails to secure any loose edges of the container. To keep your motorcycle protected from any damage and move the bike inside the crate, you will have to buckle down the belts tightly to each of the corners of the box.

Step 9:

Finally, cut a top frame for the crate in the size of 2x4 and secure it on the top of the container by riveting nails.

Step 10:

Your wooden motorcycle crate is now complete. Attach the final piece of plywood to complete the enclosure. Fix the plywood in place with screws.

And, you are done.

The Specifications of a Well-Made Crate: Does Your Crate Checks All the Boxes?

As you've DIY-ed your bike, you must check its credibility and functionality.

Here's a list of the characteristics of a well-crafted wooden motorcycle crate that you can use as a checklist to see if the crate you created is on point or not.

• The closures of the crate should either have a screw or latches to ensure the safety of your motorcycle.
• The skids of the crate must be appropriately placed as they help prevent any damage on the move.
• Handles of the crate (if it has any) should be positioned correctly and must serve the purpose they are meant for.
• The crate shouldn't have any apparent signs of damage.

The Total Cost of Making Your Motorcycle Shipping Crate

Making your crate is cheaper than buying or renting one without a shadow of a doubt. However, here we are giving you a cost analysis of all the situations, including leasing, buying, and building the crate one by one.

Buying a crate can cost you somewhere in the range of $300 to $900 (based on the material they are made of).

Similarly, if you rent a crate, be ready to pay $400 as a rent per move.

Lastly, the most pocket-friendly option, making your motorcycle crate out of wood, can cost you $200 to $250. Quite a difference, right?

So, you see, going the DIY route not only involves unleashing the great DIY-er you have inside, but it's also lighter on your budget? While it might take a tad bit of effort, the result will be worth it. You'll save some bucks and also make that one-time investment into creating a quality crate that will securely move your bike here and there.

Conclusion:

As you can discern, making your motorcycle shipping crate is easy, inexpensive, and most importantly, ensures that your precious possession stays safe and protected. The best part is that you're going to save money and make a crate that fits perfectly on your bike. This can save you the hassle of ensuring your bike will fit inside the store-bought shipping crates.

A custom-fit motorcycle crate can be cheaper than a premade one if you have a little time and investment in the right tools. Plus, constructing your crate is quite a rewarding experience.

Remember, though, it's still a good idea to have your crate inspected by the shipping company before you leave for your destination.